Transfer-sheet carrier



April 21, 1931.

Filed Sept. 23, 1927 mmz ii iifi n! INVENTOR Maw;

ATTORNEY I Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN STUART FLEMING, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO NIAGARA FOLD, INC., OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION OF NEW YORK TRANSFER-SHEET CARRIER Application filed September 23, 1927. Serial No. 221,432.

This invention relates to improvements in manifolding devices and more partlcularly with reference to some of its specific features,

forms of manifolding writing, and is so constructed that it may be carried by the superposed record strips to support the transfer sheets therebetween in manifoldlng position,

and may be shifted from one manifolding position, to another by sliding it longitudinally relativelyto the transfer sheets.

A further object of the invention, is to provide an improved carbon or transfer sheet carrier adapted for use in flat or cylindrical platen types ofmanifolding machlnes such as typewriters, billing machines, autographic registers, and the like, and which is so constructed and arranged that it, together with the transfer sheet or sheets carried thereby, may be fed forwardly with therecord str ps past the platen of the manifolding machlne so as to release them from frictional restraint whereby the transfer sheets may be adjusted along the record strips from one transfer position to another.

A further object is to provide an improved transfer sheet carrier which is flexible transversely of its length enabling it to conform to a curved path such as the surface of a cylindrical platen, while at the same time providing a satisfactory support for holding one or a plurality of carbon sheets in manlfolding relation with reference to the superposed record strips.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of supply device for manifold inscription including a plurality of superposed fan folded traveler record strips and embodying in combination an improved arrangement for supoprting one or a plurality of transfer sheets in shiftable manifolding relation with reference to the fan folded strips.

A further object is to provide in combination with a plurality of fan folded record strips, an improved form of carbon blockor transfer sheet support adapted to support one or more transfer sheets in manifolding relation and having means for shifting the support from one manifolding position to another'and so mounted with reference to the fan folded strips as to be carried forwardly or rearwardly therewith.

Other objects will be in part pointed out in connection with the following detailed disclosure of certain illustrative but preferred embodiments of the invention and will be in part obvious in connection therewith.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a more complete disclosure of the .nature, objects and advantages of the invention,

reference is had to the accomcpanying detailed disclosure and to the which: a

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a transfer sheet support, constructed in accordance with the invention and being detached from the fan folded strips with which it is adapted to be assembled for manifolding purposes.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary detailed plan of the opposite side of the support, parts being broken away for clearness of disclosure, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing the improved carbon sheet support assembled in manifolding relation with a fragment of a fan folded traveler record strip. I

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the embodiment of the invention there shown, the transfer sheet support 5 is preferably made of sheet material and flexible transversely of its length so as to conform to a curved path such as the surface of a cylindrical platen used in various manifolding machines. The carrier 5 may, for example, be made of heavy brown or manila paper so as to be flexible in any direction but ofsufficient weight and strength so the carrawings, in

hon-supporting fingers thereof may function satisfactorily as supports for the relatively lighter and more fragile carbon paper sheets C, or it may be made of other similar light flexible material such as textile fabric or light fiber board. It may be and preferably is more flexible transversely of its length than it is longitudinally thereof. The carrier 5, however, will be of sufficient stiffness and strength longitudinally to support the transfer sheets in smooth flat manifolding position between recording areas of the fan folded strips, and also of sufficient strength to enable it to function as a shifter to move the transfer sheets along the fan folded strip from one manifolding position to another.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the support 5 is slitted transversely as indicated at 6 and also longitudinally for short distances at opposite lateral sides so as to form reversely arranged free ended transfer sheet carriers or supporting fingers 7 arranged in alternating or interdigitated relation with each other. These transfer sheet carriers are thus formed integrally with the material of the support 5 and, as shown, are preferably tapered from their attaching ends toward their free ends whereby they provide ample supporting strength for the transfer sheets. Some of the transfer sheet carriers 7 have their attached ends disposed near one lateral edge of the support 5 and others have their attached ends near the opposite lateral edge of said su port. These carriers are elongated, having their major axes extending transversely of the support 5 and are relatively disposed on the support, so that the free ends of certain of the carriers extend oppositely to the free ends of other carriers. Said carriers are thus positioned in reverse relation, that is, they are reversely arranged with reference to each other upon the support 5,that is, they occupy reverse positions upon said support. The sheet material may be scored or otherwise weakened slightly at the base of each finger 7 as indicated at 8 so as to facilitate swinging of the fingers away from the plane of the transfer sheet support. It is obvious, however, that the fingers may be swung without special weakening at their attaching bases, due to the nature of the material and it will also be observed that the supporting fingers may be swung to either side of the lane of the support 5 whereby the latter, w en assembled with a fan folded record strip as shown in Fig. 3, may be positioned at either side of the fan folded strip. For the purpose of defining the relation of the various parts of the improved transfer sheet carrier, the direction of length of the support 5 and of the carbon sheets C is herein regarded as extending in the direction of movement of the carrier when in position in a machine as designated by the arrow shown in Fig. 3, and the breadth of said parts is regarded as extending transversely of said direction of movement. Also, the lengths of the transfer sheet carriers 7 are regarded as extending transversely of the carrier as a whole and therefore said carriers or fingers 7 are disposed transversely with reference to the support 5 and to the carbon sheets C, and the ends of the carriers 7 are disposed in the vicinity of opposite lateral edges both of the support 5 and of the carbon sheets.

Each supporting finger 7 provides a carrier for a carbon or similar transfer sheet C which is attached to the respective finger as by means of an adhesive, as shown in the drawing, the carbon sheets extending for this purpose through the slits 6 as shown in Fig.

"2. Integral parts or strips 9 of the support 5 extend from side to side of said support, providing the main longitudinal structural parts thereof and being adapted to rest against the surfaces of the fanfolded strip, as shown in Fig. 3. The support 5 is extended at its opposite sides or lateral edges so as to project slightly beyond the longitudinal edges of the fan folded strip when assembled therewith as shown in Fig. 3, thus forming lugs or checking stops 1O lyin beyond the edges of the assembled recor strips and functioning to shift the transfer sheet from one manifolding position to another along said strips. These projecting lugs may be rounded or inclined toward the rear thereof, as indicated at 11 so as to provide clearance surfaces thereby to avoid obstruction with parts of the manifolding machine when the support 5 together with the fan folded strips are'moved rearwardly in the machine.

As shown in Fig. 3, the transfer sheet support 5 may be bent along a transverse line thereof so as to form an overlapping protective flap 12 lying in position to provide a protection for the supporting fingers 7 and the attachment thereof to the carbon sheets C. This protective flap also provides a reenforcement for the carrier 5 and the bend in the sheet material provides a longitudinally extending reenforcing rib or angle as indicated at 13.

In assembling the transfer support 5 with the fan folded record strip S, the supporting fingers 7 will be swung outwardly at one side of said support and t e fan folded strip placed in position to overlie the support 5. The fingers 7 at the right end of the support will then be swung inwardly together with the carbon sheets attached thereto, one finger being positioned in the lower fold 14 of the fan folded strip while the other finger will be positioned in the upper fold 15, thus supporting the respective carbon sheets in fiat extended position in manifolding positionwith reference to the adjacent strips S, whereby an inscription made upon the top record strip will be transferred to the respective lower strips. Similarly, the supporting fingers 7 at the left end of the support 5 will be swung inwardly with the attached carbon sheets into the lower and upper folds 16 and 17 of the fan folded strip. sembled record strip and transfer sheets will then be ready for manifold inscription a's, for example, in a typewriter, billin g machine, autographic register, or the like.

When the record strips and transfer sheets are assembled as shown and described in con-. nection with Fig. 3, they may be introduced into the machine so as to be fed forwardly in the direction indi ated by the arrow so as to bring the superpoied record strips and transfer sheets in position for writing against the platen or writing table. In order to illustrate the manner of using the combined record strip and carbon sheets in machines of the class mentioned, it will be observed that lugs such asindicated at 18, Fig. 3, in dot and dash lines may be carried by the machine and positioned so as to engage with the checking lugs 10 of transfer sheet support 5. lVhe-n the transfer sheet support is thus checked it will have passed by the platen so that the transfer sheets together with the support 5 will be released from the gripping pressure caused to be exerted upon them when they are positioned against the platen. In other words, both the transfer sheets C and the support 5 will have passed beyond the platen enabling the fan folded strips to be fed forwardly independently of the transfer sheets to bring the latter into a new manifolding position in registry with blank forms or similar inscription receiving areas which may be printed upon the record strips. When in new manifolding position, the combined fan folded record strips and transfer sheets will be retracted in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow Fig. 3.to bring the new set of blank forms in writingposition against the platen. When the fan folded strips are fed forwardly with reference to the transfer sheets as just described, the inscribed ends thereof may be severed from the fan folded strip and thevarious copies distributed as desired.

In order to facilitate severance, the strip S may be scored or perforated along transverse lines ina well known manner. Due to the flexibility of the support 5, it will readily conform to the surface of a cylindrical platen and may pass to and beyond such a platen in either direction, or may similarly conform to other curved paths. Also it will be observed that the support 5 may be entirely carried by the fan folded record strips independently of the manifolding machine. The extending lugs 10 of the support 5 may also be utilized for shifting the transfer sheets relatively to the fan folded strip independently of lugs 18 and of the manifolding machine; thus the manifolding device assembled as shown in Fig. 3 may be utilized The as- 1 for receiving inscriptions independently of a machine and the support 5 utilized to shift the transfer sheets from one position to another.

It will be noticed that the supporting fingers 7 extending from opposite sides of the carrier sheet 5 are longitudinally overlapped with each other so that each supporting finger may independently support one of the transfer sheets C. This longitudinal overlapping is sufiicient so that the supporting fingers may be. attached to and support the proximate ends of the transfer sheets supporting the latter in superposed manifolding relation whereby the parts thereof lying beyond the supporting sheet 5 may be in position to effect transfer inscription to the several plies of the record strip as clearly appears in Fig. 3. The longitudinally overlapped parts of the supporting fingers are preferably of sufficient extent to pass substantially across the ends of the transfer sheets so as to hold the latter in smooth transfer position between the record strips.

It may, in some cases. be advantageous to provide means for attaching together the protruding ends of the carrier flaps forming the lugs 10 as shown in Fig. 3, in order that the protective flap 12 may be more firmly retained in cooperative position and also to provide additional reenforcement for the lugs 10. Such attaching means when utilized will preferably be of such a nature that the flaps may be secured together after the carrier has been placed in operative position on the record strips. Convenient securing means for the purpose mentioned may be provided by coating the inner faces of the flap ends with a dry adhesive .as indicated at 10 in Fig. 3 or the adjacent faces of the ends of carrier 5 may be similarly coated. When it is desired to provide for positioning of the flap 12 at either side of the carrier 5 and at the same time include this flap attaching feature, it would be necessary to apply the adhesive 10 to both opposed faces of the projecting ends of the flap 12. The flap ends can then be attached to the corresponding ends of the carrier proper either before or after assembly with the record strips-merely by moistening the adhesive coating and pressing the adhesive surfaces into contact with each other. I

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters rial flexible transversely of its length and adapted to be supported by superposed traveler record strips, said support having a plurality of free ended transfer sheet carriers arranged in reverse position so as to enter the. space between the record strips at opposite sides of the latter, and tapering toward their free ends, said carriers being longitudinally overlapped and positioned adjacent to each other so as to cooperate with proximate ends of a plurality of transfer sheets, and to support said transfer sheets in overlapping transfer relation with said record strips.

2. A transfer sheet support of sheet material flexible transversely of its length and adapted to be supported by superposed traveler record strips, said support having a pinrality of free ended longitudinally overlapped transfer sheet carriers arranged in reverse position so as to enter the spaces between the record strips at opposite sides of the latter and tapering toward their free ends, transfer sheets attached respectively to said carriers, said support also having laterally spaced checking lugs located laterally thereof in the vicinity of the attachment of said transfer sheets to said carriers and positioned beyond the respective adjacent edges of the record strips when the support is in operative position relatively thereto.

3. A transfer sheet support flexible transversely of its length so as to conform to curved surfaces and having transfer sheet supporting fingers with free swinging ends arranged in, reverse position, the reverse supporting fingers being longitudinally overlapped so as to support transfer sheets in overla ping superposed position between reverse olds of a fan folded record strip, said sheet support having a. ply doubled over said transfer sheet carriers.

4. A transfer sheet support of sheet material flexible transversely of its length and adapted to be supported by superposed traveler record strips, said support having a plurality of free ended transfer sheet carriers arranged in reverse position so as to enter the space between the record strips at opposite sides of the latter and to support transfer sheets in overlapping manifolding position between the record strips, said sup port also having spaced checking lugs positioned laterally of the support in the vicinity of said transfer sheet carrier and laterally spaced apart so as to be positioned beyond the record strips whenthe carrier is in operative position rela-tivel thereto, and having 8. ply doubled over said transfer sheet carriers forming a protection for said carriers and a reinforcement for said lugs.

5. A transfer sheet support flexible transposed transversely of the support and having a free swinging end and a transfer sheet supported by said elongated carrier and having its transfer surface lying beyond the limits of the support.

6. A transfer sheet support of sheet material having an opening therethrough and having a plurality of free-ended, reversely arranged longitudinally overlapping transfer sheet carriers tapered toward their free ends and supported by said support and movable through said opening to either side of the plane of said support.

7. A transfer sheet support of flexible sheet material having attached thereto an elongated transversely extending transfer sheet supporting finger, said finger being atfree for swinging movement, a transfer sheet attached at one end thereof to said supporting finger, said support having a protective ply lapping over said finger and being provided with an adhesive for attaching the ends of said ply in operative position.

8. In a manifolding device, in combination, a transfer sheet support of flexible sheet material, a free ended elongated supporting finger attached at one end thereof to said flexible transfer sheet support and having a free body part extending transversely of said flexible support and a transfer sheet connected along a transverseline thereof to said supporting finger and having a free transfer area positioned beyond the longitudinal limit of said flexible support.

9. A transfer sheet support flexible transversel of its length so as to conform to curve surfaces and having a transfer sheet carrier secured thereto at one end and having an opposite free end, said support adapted to be carried by superposed traveler record strips, and when so carried said carrier being positioned to have its free end entered between said record strips, a transfer sheet attached atone end to said carrier and supported and positioned therebv in overlappin transfer relation with said record strips, sai support having laterally spaced checking lugs positioned laterally of the support in the vicinity of said transfer sheet carrier and spaced apart so as to be positioned beyond the record strips when the carrier is in operative position relatively thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

J. STUART FLEMING.

tached at one end and having its opposite end 

